Yoga Blog

Yoga Teaching

So I am getting better at teaching classes. Which is exciting. My friends are graciously letting me practice with them. However, I have the hardest time in shirvasana… I try to use music but I still have trouble. Ahh to be in the moment and still.

I’m off to go provide a karmic experience to some 9 year and 10 year olds…

In Search Of Energy

I have been really tired this week. Not sure if it is because my body is balancing out from all the energy I was building up to run a 5 K or if its because of something else. It might be because my job is really stressful and I have done little lately to destress myself. I stopped going to therapy, haven’t been to a bodypump or abs class in forever, and haven’t been regularly doing yoga. Even though I am in a yoga teachers training program I find that I’m not able to keep up with classes.. I keep telling myself that things will get better once the summer hits but I”m not sure. I think it boils down to patience. I want everything when I want it…. I want to speak fluent spanish (ha ha), get my RYT 200 teachers training certification, attend regular yoga classes, look good in a bathing suite, and… have time to make out with my adorable, sweet, funny boyfriend. I hope that my 30’s provide me with more time and energy because all the balls are up in the air and I’m like…. “oh Flippin Shit!”

Yogawell

Mudras: Mystery & Medicine Unveiled

Mudras: Mystery & Medicine Unveiled
Date: May 10th
Time: 1-4pm.
Location: Yogawell Institute of Progressive Therapies, 2333 Camino del Rio South suite 240, San Diego, CA 92108 (Mission Valley)
Cost: $55 if paid by May 3rd. $65 afterwards.
Learn mudras and the traditions they are expressing. From simple hand gestures to dancing you’ll experience the symbolic and physical benefits of mudras. A fun and informative workshop. Kirti Srivastava has been studying dance for 20 years beginning at the age of 3! Her dance history is rooted in classical Indian Dance (specifically Kathak and Odissi). In 2002, she moved to New York to receive her Masters Degree in Education and become a member of New York’s first Odissi Classical Indian Dance Theater Company, Nayikas. This past year she furthered her studies in Orissa, India with her teacher, Manoranjan Pradhan. http://tribes.tribe.net/dilsedance

May 17th Encinitas Vibrations

Bamboo

Learn from Bamboo

The bamboo plant is revered for many reasons. It grows quickly, so it is an easily renewable resource. It is beautiful and graceful to look at. All of the plant can be used – the sprouts can be eaten, the inner stem can be used as medicine, and the stalk makes good construction material. And the most remarkable attribute of the bamboo plant is its flexibility. Even in the most terrible storm, the bamboo will bend, but not break. We can learn from this example. We often have unexpected stress in our lives, and when we remain flexible, and adapt, then we get through it successfully. Studies have shown that flexibility is a powerful personality trait that helps people to recover from illness as much as 50 percent faster! We can mentally train ourselves to be more flexible by not being attached to any specific outcome. We can move towards a goal, understanding that we may have to change our course every once in awhile to get where we want to go. Physically we can become more flexible by practicing yoga, stretching and tai chi.

Stretching and Flexibility

My yoga life

So I wake up and realized, once again, that I dreamt about yoga.  Last night it was all about my Dharma..  I dreamt that the people that are in my life now where people that have been in my life in past lives.  At lunch yesterday, I felt this strong vibration to the people that I was sharing space with.  I went on to tell them about Dharma and in doing so, the vibration felt even stronger. 

I am constantly wanting and seeking out that vibration.  Its like a really good drug!  The more I have it around the more energy I feel. 

I was brought up thinking that the life we were given is the only life we have.  That never settled well with me.  I never prescribed to it to the point of really believing in it.  But the idea that yesterday, today, and tomorrow will repeat itself forever and what I do today will effect everything in my tomorrows just feels true.  We are all just riding the wave of our vibration. 

Yoga Physical Therapy…

Not every yoga class is appropriate for students with injuries. Those students with special needs should instead try yoga therapy.

By Timothy McCall, M.D.

In 1998, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reported that an eight-week yoga program had positive results for people with carpal tunnel syndrome. These promising results got a lot of publicity, sparking interest among the general public and health care professionals about yoga’s potential as a therapeutic modality. After hearing about such a study, many people including doctors might believe they can walk into any yoga class with a medical malady and be healed. But the fact is, if someone with carpal tunnel syndrome shows up at a hatha yoga class that includes poses that are weight-bearing on the hands and wrists (think Plank, Upward-Facing Dog, and Handstand), they could easily wind up worse than when they started. So, while such studies help raise awareness about yoga, it’s crucial that we discern the difference between a typical yoga class and yoga therapy.

In the JAMA study, one of the key components that led to the positive results is that senior Iyengar teacher Marian Garfinkel carefully designed a therapeutic yoga program tailored to the specific needs of carpal tunnel patients and, when necessary, adapted it to the individuals in the group. There are exceptions, but for the most part, this kind of personalization is rarely possible in a class setting.

Yoga therapy is typically conducted one-on-one or in small groups. Often, a session more closely resembles an appointment with a physical therapist or rehabilitation specialist than it does a typical yoga class. What sets this healing modality apart from others is the focus on linking movement to deep, rhythmic breathing. Another difference is the emphasis on relaxation. In fact, when someone is gravely ill, a therapist may suggest that the entire practice consist only of breath awareness and relaxation until the patient is ready to tackle more.

If you’re looking for a yoga therapist, it’s important to be aware that there are many different kinds from a wide variety of yoga traditions and, as of yet, there is no universally accepted certification system. So, the type of training and number of hours a therapist has studied varies from person to person. For this reason, word of mouth is still an effective way to find the right yoga therapist ask around or call yoga studios for leads. Here are some specific qualities to look for.

APPROPRIATE TRAINING. If you have a condition that requires knowledge of the physical body, like back pain or arthritis, find someone with substantial anatomy training. If you have a more serious medical condition such as cancer, heart disease, or lupus you’ll need a therapist who understands the disease, the effects of medications, and contraindications to practicing. Look for someone who has sought additional training in your specific condition or who has a background in a health care profession, like nursing or physical therapy.

EXPERIENCE. Ask potential therapists how long they’ve been practicing yoga therapy and how often they have worked with people who have your condition. As with most anything, the more experience someone has, the more equipped he or she will be to help you.

AN ACTIVE YOGA PRACITCE. An effective yoga therapist must have this.

AN INSPIRING APPROACH. A good yoga therapist is knowledgeable, but a great one will be able to design a personalized program that motivates you to practice on your own. The key to success in yoga therapy is to feel connected to your own healing.

Timothy McCall is Yoga Journal’s medical editor. To suggest ideas for future columns, e-mail him at drmccall@yogajournal.com. You can also find him through his Web site, www.drmccall.com.

Namaste Represent

The gesture Namaste represents the belief that there is a Divine spark within each of us that is located in the heart chakra. The gesture is an acknowledgment of the soul in one by the soul in another. “Nama” means bow, “as” means I, and “te” means you. Therefore, Namaste literally means “bow me you” or “I bow to you.”

To perform Namaste, we place the hands together at the heart charka, close the eyes, and bow the head. It can also be done by placing the hands together in front of the third eye, bowing the head, and then bringing the hands down to the heart. This is an especially deep form of respect. Although in the West the word “Namaste” is usually spoken in conjunction with the gesture, in India, it is understood that the gesture itself signifies Namaste, and therefore, it is unnecessary to say the word while bowing.

We bring the hands together at the heart chakra to increase the flow of Divine love. Bowing the head and closing the eyes helps the mind surrender to the Divine in the heart. One can do Namaste to oneself as a meditation technique to go deeper inside the heart chakra; when done with someone else, it is also a beautiful, albeit quick, meditation.

For a teacher and student, Namaste allows two individuals to come together energetically to a place of connection and timelessness, free from the bonds of ego-connection. If it is done with deep feeling in the heart and with the mind surrendered, a deep union of spirits can blossom.

Ideally, Namaste should be done both at the beginning and at the end of class. Usually, it is done at the end of class because the mind is less active and the energy in the room is more peaceful. The teacher initiates Namaste as a symbol of gratitude and respect toward her students and her own teachers and in return invites the students to connect with their lineage, thereby allowing the truth to flow the truth that we are all one when we live from the heart.

Recognized as one of the world’s top yoga teachers, Aadil Palkhivala began studying yoga at the age of seven with B.K.S. Iyengar and was introduced to Sri Aurobindo’s yoga three years later. He received the Advanced Yoga Teacher’s Certificate at the age of 22 and is the founder-director of internationally renowned Yoga Centers in Bellevue, Washington. Aadil is also a federally certified Naturopath, a certified Ayurvedic Health Science Practitioner, a clinical hypnotherapist, a certified Shiatsu and Swedish bodywork therapist, a lawyer, and an internationally sponsored public speaker on the mind-body-energy connection.

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